The present invention relates to a system and method for electronically communicating, coordinating and disseminating formula data for the production of color ink between a plurality of parties.
Electronic color production hardware and software systems currently exist which separately and independently perform tasks associated with production of color-related products. For example, a known system reads a visible spectrum of a color sample and generates data regarding measured amounts of light absorbed or reflected at particular points in the spectrum. Any given color has a spectral curve associated with it that functions as a signature of the color. Once a spectral curve is determined, the visible spectrum and coefficients are then processed to predict a color formula for reproducing the color. The color formula can then be analyzed to create a color ink formula for creating a color.
Other common color representations exist, for example RGB represents the degree of red, green and blue in a color. CMYK represents the degree of cyan, magenta, yellow and black in a given color. Accurate translation between color representations, for example a translation from RGB to CMYK for computer monitors and computer printers is provided. Accurate color reproduction is achieved, in part, by retrieving data for a plurality of input and output devices, e.g., printers, monitors, and color measuring devices, and modifying the color translation formulas to account for the specific devices receiving the data. Computer software design packages, such as ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR and PAGEMAKER, provide such conversion functionality. Another known system provides a method and apparatus for accurately matching colors. For example, spectral data are received from a color measuring device and the corresponding color is matched in an electronic color library. The desired color is compared to colors stored in the electronic color library and the color or colors in the library that are within a specified color range are reported. By searching in an electronic library, the traditional standard color swatch book used for locating a desired color is replaced. This electronic color library is vulnerable, however, to problems associated with reproducing samples from multiple devices.
Another method involves receiving a communication of the designer's computer image and converting the RGB setting to CIELAB values. Computer software design packages such as ADOBE PHOTOSHOP provide such conversion functionality.
Currently, methods exist for defining color ink formulas for making ink suitable for creating a particular color. However, no suitable system is available which enables, for example, a designer of color-related products to identify a color and a particular substrate, and to automatically generate a color ink formula suitable for creating the color on the substrate, which can be transmitted automatically to another party, for example an ink manufacturer.